A PDP has been given attention as a display panel (low-profile display device) which exhibits an excellent visibility, and its development has been pursued to a high-definition display and a large screen display to foster its versatility in the field of high-definition display in Japan or the like.
The PDP is broadly classified as an AC-driven type or a DC-driven type, or as a surface discharge type or an opposite discharge type. Currently, an AC-driven surface discharge PDP constitutes the mainstream in industry because of its potential high-definition display, large screen display and convenience of production.
The PDP is a self-luminous display panel which structurally has a discharge space defined by a pair of substrates (typically, glass substrates) spaced a minute distance in an opposing relation with the periphery thereof being sealed.
The PDP includes ribs provided equidistantly for partitioning the discharge space. The ribs prevent interference of discharge and color cross-talk.
For example, a PDP of an AC-driven three-electrode surface discharge type suitable for fluorescent color display includes band-like ribs having a height of about 100 μm to about 200 μm provided parallel to and equidistantly from each other along data electrode (address electrode) lines. A front substrate to be combined with an opposing rear substrate having ribs thereon includes display electrode pairs (sustain electrode pairs) for generating main discharge. The display electrode pairs are arranged parallel to each other in a direction crossing the ribs.
Fluorescent layers are formed in elongated grooves between the ribs to convert light by discharge across the display electrode pairs into visible light, thereby achieving display. Therefore, display luminance of the PDP is dependent on strength of discharge, density of fluorescent substances in the fluorescent layers, surface areas of the fluorescent layers, types of the fluorescent substances, reflectance of the rear surface of the fluorescent layers.
In the PDP thus constructed, separation of pixels (discharge regions) in the direction of the display electrodes is made by the ribs whereas the separation of the pixels (discharge regions) in the direction crossing the display electrodes, i.e., in a longitudinal direction of the ribs, is made by narrowing an inter-electrode spacing for generating discharge (referred to as discharge slits or slits hereinafter) as compared with an inter-electrode spacing for generating no discharge (reverse slits), to limit discharge. Here, there rises a problem that the reverse slits, even if having fluorescent layers formed therein, make no contribution as the display areas.
Further, a typical challenge with the PDP as a self-luminous display device is to improve the luminance, or fundamentally, to improve luminous efficiency of fluorescent substances themselves. This challenge is currently dealt with by, for example, changing the shape and the amount of the fluorescent substances applied and by improving the reflectance of a rear surface material.
Therefore, a plasma display panel has been desired which is simply constructed but has further higher luminance than a conventional one.